Train Strike ‘Will Blast A £100m Hole In Economy'

Rail chaos as Mass Walkout Begin

- Giles Sheldrick

RAIL workers will deliver a £100million hammer blow to the economy with mass walkouts starting today.

More than 40,000 militant union members are striking at Network Rail and 14 train operating companies in a row over pay, jobs and conditions.

Experts said the action will unleash more misery on struggling businesses and hard-working families, leaving more than 250,000 people unable to work as the transport system grinds to a halt across Britain.

London Underground workers have announced they are to down tools on August 19 in a long-running dispute over jobs and pensions.

Economist Austin Boyd, from the Centre for Economics and Business Research, said: “This will ultimately result in a £26.27million loss in output today alone.”

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union is planning similar action for August 18 and 20.

The Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association, is also striking today on the Avanti West Coast, which operates into Birmingham.

And its members propose a walkout at a number of rail firms next month on the same days as the RMT.

Mr Boyd added: “When accounting for the additional two strike days, the combined output cost due to worker absences over the three days is £72.1million.”

The eye-watering expert estimation of losses factors in only worker output – a calculation known as gross value added – and does not take into account retail spending by workers.